Download Appendix - EN World

Glossary
(Organized alphabetically)
Common Expressions
Compliments & Good Wishes
“Bilhana”: “Wishing you joy.”
“Bilshifa”: “Wishing you health.”
“He makes coffee from dawn until midnight”: Said of an excellent host.
“May your sons and daughters prosper”: A common good wish.
“Saytah!”: A toast, the equivalent of “cheers.”
“You may ask anything of me”: Used when one is deeply grateful.
Exclamations
“Bashem ustun!”: “Upon my head be it!”
“Be chesm!”: “By my eyes!”
“I conjure you to do it!”: Used when beseeching or commanding another.
“God is most great!”: An interjection used after a speech.
“Maktoob”: “It is written.” Said when finishing an action, arguing theology, and
sometimes when agreeing with another (though “makhol” is usually used).
“My liver!”: An expression of surprise or pain. Other expressions include
“Ymmah!” (“Oh mama!”) and “Ybbah!” (“Oh papa!”)
Greetings & Farewells
“Es salam alekum”: “May peace be upon you.” Said in greeting. The proper
response is “wa alekum es salam.”
“Maas salama”: “Go with peace.”
“Tfaddal”: “If you please.” A generalized polite expression used when offering
something, motioning someone to go ahead of you, or inviting someone in.
“You have come to your people and level ground”: A formal greeting when
someone has returned home after a long time.
Insults & Ill Wishes
“Donkey and son of a donkey”: One of the worst possible insults.
“Ibn-Wuksha”: “Son of an unclean woman.”
“Kaffir”: “Unbeliever.” Almost always used as an insult for non-Muslims.
“Yil’an’abook!”: “May your father be cursed!”
Marketplace Witticisms
“A coin belongs in the souk”: Used by merchants who are trying to lure in a
reluctant or thrifty buyer.
“Either my bull fetches 100 or it’s back to the stable”: Varieties of this phrase
are used by customers who are trying to hold a dodgy merchant to a price the
merchant has already agreed to but is trying to get out of.
“God bless the vanquished”: Often used in an attempt to get the other party to
compromise and match the offered price; the “vanquished” refers to the one who
“loses” the war of the believers (trade), but wins God’s grace.
“The door for debate is open”: A merchant says this when trying to inspire
competition among buyers, selling the good to whomever offers the highest price.
“When money is present, the devil is absent”: A rich customer who wants to
settle a bargain fast uses this line.
Sayings to Avert the Evil Eye
“Far from you”: Spoken to prevent tragedy or bad luck caused by someone
talking about immodest or supernatural things.
“God is merciful and Fate is all-knowing and I am but a humble slave
before them”: Said when receiving a compliment to avert the Evil Eye.
“I am unable to express my thanks”: Common saying of gratitude. The proper
reply is “No thanks are needed when one performs a duty.”
Entertainment & Recreation
Alquerques: Checkers.
Chowgan: Polo.
Eid: A feast or festival.
Hammam: A bathhouse, usually public.
Shah-mat: Chess (from the Persian for “the king is dead”).
Sword Dance: A type of mock battle done to music that is popular throughout
the Near East.
Markets & Trade
Danaq: A small silver coin equal to 10 fals, one-fifth a dirham, or one-hundredth
a dinar. The plural is also danaq.
Dinar: A gold coin equal to 20 daharim, 100 danaq, or 1000 fals. The plural is
dinari.
Dirham: Standard silver coin, equal to 50 fals, 5 danaq, or one-twentieth of a
dinar. The plural is daharim.
Fals: A copper coin worth one-tenth a danaq, one-fiftieth a dirham, or onethousandth a dinar. The plural is also fals.
Muhtasib: Market inspector in charge of upholding moral conduct in the souk,
and ensuring that trade flows smoothly.
Sayrafi: “Money-changer” also entrusted with appraising and valuing coins.
Souk: Arabic term for a marketplace; the Persian equivalent is bazaar.
Military
Amir: A military officer, often the head of a city’s garrison. In some provinces this
term is used interchangeably with emir.
Casbah: Castle in the Maghreb.
Furusiyya: Horsemanship and skill with the bow.
Futuwwa: A code of honor.
Goum: Light cavalryman.
Mujahed: One who engages in jihad, not only in the military sense, but in every
arena of their life.
Krak: A castle or citadel.
Qal’at: Fortified keep.
Razzia: A tribal raid, usually for livestock.
Sejha: Army.
Spahi: A horseman of the desert tribes.
Zardkhana: Arsenal.
Politics
Abbasid: The dynasty, descended from Muhammad’s uncle Abbas, which has
held the caliphate for the past 50 years. Their capital city is Baghdad.
Aghlabid: The dynasty which recently took power in Tunisia, Sicily, and eastern
Algeria. Their rule is semi-autonomous but they acknowledge the supremacy of
the Caliph in Baghdad.
Ahl al-Bayt: “People of the house.” Descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
They are sometimes called sharif, and often treated with great respect.
Beni: “Sons of…” Applied collectively to a tribe, group, or family which is
descended from a highly-esteemed ancestor. Using this term implies respect.
Dar al-Harab: “House of War.” Refers to the part of the world that has yet to be
brought under Muslim rule.
Dar al-Islam: “House of Surrender.” Refers to the part of the world already
brought under Muslim rule.
Diwan: “List.” Originally this term meant an anthology of writings (like an author’s
corpora), but it was adapted for political use to mean an office or government
which might make use of such a collection.
Effendi: A title of respect used by a servant or slave to refer to their master.
Emir: A military commander who rules their own province.
Idrisid: The ruling dynasty of Morocco. They do not consider themselves vassals
of the Abbasid Caliph.
Ifriqiyah: Arabic word derived from the Latin “Africa”, it applied to the territory
between Tangier and Tripoli. It has just gained its de facto independence.
Maghreb: Northwest Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Malik: Old Arabic term for “king”, it has pagan connotations.
Mawla: A “client” people subservient to and protected by a conquering Arab
tribe. The Persians are presently considered mawla.
Qadi: A magistrate or judge.
Ra’is: “Head.” The civil administrator of a city.
Sahib / Sidi: Both terms are used very frequently when speaking to social
superiors; they roughly mean “sir” and “lord.” The feminine forms are sahiba and
sida respectively.
Sayyid / Sharif: A person of noble blood, usually of the Prophet’s family.
Shah: A Persian king. The high king is known as shah-in-shah.
Sheikh: A tribal or village elder.
Sultan: “Authority.” Ruler of a state or city-state, roughly equivalent to a
European king, who owes allegiance only to the Caliph. The feminine is sultana.
Umayyad: The dynasty of caliphs which ruled from the murder of Ali in 39 AH
(661 AD) until their overthrow by the Abbasids in 128 AH (750 AD). Abd alRahman, an Umayyad “emir”, still rules Muslim Spain.
Vizier: An official adviser to a ruler.
Religion
Ahl al-Kitab: “People of the Book.” Refers to those non-Muslims who received
some part of God’s written revelation, like the Christians and Jews. It is debated
whether the Hindus (for their Vedas) and the Zoroastrians (for their Avesta) are
people of the book.
Allah: The term simply means “the god” in Arabic, indicating that no other gods
exist. All agree that it is the same God worshipped by Christians and Jews.
Alim: “Guardians of tradition.” Muslim religious scholars who study the hadith.
The plural form is Ulema.
Ayatollah: Shi’a title for a highly esteemed religious teacher.
Baraka: Blessings that gather in saints and shrines, believed to be contagious
for the devout seeker. Interacting with baraka usually leaves one with a renewed
sense of faith, but sometimes miracles can happen.
Caliph: The successor to the Prophet Muhammad who (theoretically) is ruler of
all Muslims. He is referred to as “Commander of the Faithful.”
Dhimmi: “Protected” non-Muslims.
Hadith: The body of Islamic tradition, consisting of those sayings and actions of
the Prophet which have been handed down to the present along a chain of
trusted witnesses (isnad). Hadith is consulted when the Qur’an is silent on a
matter of law or custom.
Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca which every adult Muslim must make once in his
life if at all possible.
Halal: Dietary rules similar to the Jewish kosher law governing the slaughter of
animals and prohibiting pork.
Hijra: The emigration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to
Yathrib (Medina) began the Muslim calendar.
Houri: Beautiful seductive maidens who will attend the men who achieve
Paradise, according to the Qur’an. Sufis consider the term a metaphor.
Iblis: Either a fallen angel or a djinn (the accounts are not clear) who refused to
bow down before Adam and was cast out of God’s presence to become his
greatest Adversary.
Imam: In Sunni Islam, a prayer leader of a mosque. In Shi’a Islam, the true
Caliph, the rightful successor of Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali.
Jihad: “Struggle in the name of God.” The effort to spread Islam throughout
one’s consciousness and throughout the world is generally peaceful, though
there are times when one is justified to take up arms for the faith.
Ka’aba: Holiest temple in Mecca which the Prophet stripped of its idols and
dedicated to God; it is the destination of the Hajj.
Mahdi: A messianic figure awaited by some sects of Islam.
Muezzin: One who summons faithful Muslims to prayer.
Murid: A disciple of a murshid.
Murshid: A Sufi teacher.
Qur’an: The holy book of Islam, the original is said to be kept in Heaven.
Muslims believe it is the final revelation of God.
Ramadan: The ninth month of the Muslim calendar, during which Muslims are
required to abstain from food and sex between sunrise and sunset; it is a time to
focus on prayer.
Shari’ah: “Straight path” and “way to water.” Islamic law as laid down in the
Qur’an.
Sunnah: The traditions of the ummah.
Tahrik min qad: “Moving through the flame.” Both a type of legend and an
expression, it concerns a hero’s redemption following their downfall.
Taqiyya: A controversial doctrine which exempts a believer from fulfilling
obligations of a religion when under compulsion (e.g. their life is threatened).
Ummah; Community of Muslims.
Ships & Sea
Bahr: “Sea.” Used as a prefix when describing large bodies of salt water.
Bahriyin: Sailors.
Bandar: A port.
Barijah: Small 40-foot dhow used by fishermen, merchants, pearl divers, and
shore-dwelling corsairs.
Daftar: Sailing instructions used for navigation in place of charts.
Daqal: Mast.
Dhow: Any ship.
Dibdan: The ship’s lookout.
Felucca: An oared ship.
Ishtiyam: Ship’s navigator.
Jazirat: Island.
Jummah: The ship’s hold.
Kashabat: Wooden scaffold serving as a beacon and watchtower.
Khabb: A gale storm, or a typhoon.
Khann: A point in the compass – there are 32 points for navigation.
Najhuda: The ship’s owner, but not necessarily the captain.
Oculus: Eye decoration often painted on the bow of the ship.
Qutb al-Gah: The pole star.
Rahmani: A book of sailing charts.
Rubban: The ship’s captain, served by the rubbaniyah (ship’s officers).
Sahil: Coast.
Sambuk: A common ship, 50 to 100 feet long, with distinctive wings sweeping off
its square stern, aiding its stability.
Shira: The ship’s sail.
Suwar: Maps for sailing.
Zaruq: Small fast ship slightly larger than a barijah, it is used for transporting
cargo and travelers.
The Supernatural
Feisha: An amulet or charm against evil.
Djinn: An ancient spirit created from smokeless fire. The plural form is djinni, and
the feminine is djinniyeh. They are free-willed beings just as humans are, and
while many of them are evil, some revere God and the Prophet.
Keramat: Divine blessings that manifest as miracles.
Seal of Suleiman: Six-pointed Star of David used to ward off or imprison djinni.
Sihr: A condemning and derogatory term used to describe magic (as
distinguished from keramat). Some faithful adepts use the term more specifically
to refer to magic used for deceitful purposes, or magic based on trickery and
illusion.
Travel by Land
Barchan: Crescent-shaped dune at the desert’s edge.
Caravanserai: A resting place for those traveling by caravan.
Dirah: A tribe’s territory, usually about 200 square miles.
Harrat: Field of volcanic debris.
Howdah: An ornate seat for riding on the back of a camel or elephant.
Jebel: Mountain.
Kavir: Salt flat.
Mahout: Elephant driver.
Mehara: Finely bred racing camel. The plural is mehari.
Palanquin: A curtained litter on poles, carried by slaves.
Rabat-bashi: An innkeeper.
Seif: “Sword.” Geographically speaking it refers to a rugged dune running
parallel to the wind, extending for hundreds of miles.
Simoom: A strong, hot, sandy wind that blows through the Sahara desert and
the Arabian deserts.
Sirocoo: The south wind, or a windstorm from the south.
Wadi: A seasonal river, often just an empty bed during summer.
Proverbs
Heroes often speak in proverbs, of which a sampling can be found herein.
However, it is more important that the hero’s speech sounds authentically
proverbial, so focus more on creating metaphors and unique prosaic phrases for
your hero more than memorizing a handful of stock proverbs.
Bitter Sayings
Every rose has a thorn as its friend.
Fortune is with you for an hour and against you for ten.
Sinning is the best part of repentance.
To him who has no teeth left, God gives dry beans to eat.
Tomorrow with the apricots. (A common phrase meaning “when pigs fly”)
Cutting Remarks
A town’s gate can be shut, a fool’s mouth never.
He who drives an ass must, of necessity, know its wind.
His head is like the desert: the hotter it gets, the emptier it appears.
Mother a weed, father a weed; do you expect the daughter to be a saffron root?
To the dog that has money men say “My Lord Dog.”
Horses
A horse of good breed is not dishonored by his saddle.
After you tend to your father and family, see to your horse.
The air of heaven is that which blows between the ears of a horse.
Paradise is only found on the back of a horse or in the arm’s of one’s beloved.
Love
A heart in love with beauty never grows old.
In order to really love another, you must love them as if they’d die tomorrow.
Marriage is like a besieged castle; those who are on the outside wish to get in
and those who are on the inside wish to get out.
The whisper of a pretty girl can be heard further than the roar of a lion.
Pragmatism
I am a prince and you are a prince; who will lead the donkeys?
It is good to know the truth, but it is safer to speak of palm trees.
The best way of giving oneself what one lacks is to take from oneself what one has.
The dawn does not come twice to wake a man.
Trust in God, but tie your camel first.
Scholarship
A book is a garden carried in the pocket.
A book that remains shut is but a block of wood.
Examine what is said, not who speaks.
Knowledge acquired as a child is more lasting than engraving on a stone.
The mistake of the learned is like a shipwreck which wrecks many others with it.
Warfare
An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.
Death was afraid of him because he had the heart of a lion.
It is easy to carry on a war with a spyglass.
Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies.
When you are an anvil be patient, when a hammer, strike.
Wise Sayings
As the mind expands, the tongue grows quiet.
He who speaks the truth had better have one foot in the stirrup.
Hearts are the depositories of secrets; lips their locks, and tongues their keys.
Manage with bread and butter until God brings the jam.
None but the one carrying the load knows how much it weighs.
Words of Caution
Do not tell a friend anything you would conceal from an enemy.
Though your companion may be honey, do not eat him completely.
When the feathers are of gold, it is unwise to make broth of the hen.